


A Kind of Care

by miniconsuffrage



Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers: Beast Wars
Genre: Dinobot has feathers, M/M, Unrepentant Fluff, i will not repent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-22
Updated: 2018-09-22
Packaged: 2019-07-15 11:10:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16061891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miniconsuffrage/pseuds/miniconsuffrage
Summary: When Optimus is unconscious, recovering from his injuries, Dinobot brings him flowers.This becomes something of a habit.





	A Kind of Care

Optimus kept those flowers from his bedside table, from the time he was near death. He moved the pot into the main room of the Axalon and kept them until they wilted from the lack of sunlight, and even then made no move to change them.

They went from being a nice sentiment, perhaps, to an eyesore. Dinobot couldn’t understand it. What was the purpose of keeping half-dead organic matter in the ship when they weren’t even pleasing to the eye any longer? Optimus had fully recovered. He could go outside any time, could see the real thing whenever the urge so struck him.

It frustrated Dinobot because he didn’t understand it. He felt like a greater significance was being placed on his actions than those actions deserved. Optimus was the one who had saved his life. His actions were significant. Dinobot’s paled in comparison.

Still, the dead flora stayed on the Axalon. That seemed a shame. So, while out on patrol by himself, Dinobot picked out their replacements.

He hadn’t put much thought into the first bunch. It was just something to do, something to occupy time while they all waited. It really had been his turn to keep watch when the Maximal leader had awoken. None of them had gotten much done in the meantime. Now, it was as if there were too many options. Too many colors, too many shapes and sizes. Should he choose more than one variety? What would look best together? What would Optimus prefer?

It was at that last thought that he told himself he was being ridiculous, and grabbed a handful of the closest flower within reach. Optimus didn’t seem to mind having brown and wilted flowers on display. Clearly, he wasn’t very discerning when it came to types of flowers. Besides, he probably would have some speech ready about how all organic life could have value or some such thing.

He didn’t intend on watching Optimus’s reaction to the new batch, but he happened to be in the room. Optimus smiled at them, then turned and smiled at him, and Dinobot avoided his gaze for the rest of the day.

Even so… It became a weekly thing. The flowers would wilt, and Dinobot would replace them, because Optimus seemed unwilling to get rid of them and none of the other Maximals would touch them. That seemed odd, considering what a rambunctious bunch they were. One would think that, at some point, the container would be knocked over or one of them would just throw the whole thing away.

Instead, it remained, and it became Dinobot’s duty to keep fresh flowers coming in. It wasn’t the sort of work a warrior did, but he found he didn’t mind.

Optimus continued to appreciate them. That seemed reason enough.

 

It was one of those blasted picnics. The Maximals were so fond of these, of leaving the base simply to enjoy being outside. They found it easy to relax during these times, and relished in each other’s company and the sunshine. Dinobot was reminded again that they were meant to be explorers, scientists. He only felt exposed, and expected an attack from any direction. If they weren’t going to keep on high alert in case of Predacons, someone had to.

“Dinobot. Come here,” Optimus gestured to him.

Dinobot snorted in distaste, but did as he was told. He had found some high ground, and was surveying the area he could see, looking for some sort of advantage in the terrain. They would likely be attacked from the air first—they needed something to counteract their disadvantage.

Optimus, meanwhile, was in the shade, leaning back against a sturdy tree trunk. It was in full blossom, and flowers littered the ground around it as well as the branches. Dinobot stalked over to his side. “Yes?”

Optimus patted the ground next to him. “Sit down.”

“Why?” Dinobot wanted to know. He wasn’t finished with his strategizing yet, and he wanted to get back to it.

“Because you’re pacing. You need to relax—you’re making me anxious just watching you,” Optimus said.

‘Then don’t watch,’ he thought. “The Predacons won’t be spending time relaxing,” he said instead.

“If they come, we’ll deal with it. I have everything under control,” Optimus said, and patted the ground again. “Come on. Just for a few minutes.”

Dinobot growled to himself, but… A few minutes were a small price to pay if it would pacify Optimus and allow him to get back to his plans.

His beast mode didn’t have a very good way of sitting down. Any way he did it, he felt vulnerable to attack. He had taken on the form of a creature built to always be ready for a fight, and he appreciated that, but it did not mesh with the Maximal forms, which took great pleasure in downtime. Dinobot had lost count of the number of places he’d found Cheetor napping that were absolutely not meant for such things.

Optimus seemed to notice his struggle. “I’ll keep you safe,” he promised.

Well.

Dinobot ended up sort of on his side, facing Optimus and leaning against the tree as well. It was plenty strong enough to hold both their weights, thankfully.

“I don’t think you’ve been still for more than five klicks since we got here,” Optimus said.

“We haven’t been here very long,” Dinobot protested weakly.

Optimus chuckled. “Just stay still. Alright? Only for a few minutes,” he said. He reached over to the right and pulled up a little yellow flower. “Isn’t this pretty?”

“I suppose,” Dinobot muttered. He had started to learn to recognize different sorts of flowers, after the weeks of searching for them, but he felt he had no real preference for a certain kind over another. They were all colorful. He didn’t know which was more aesthetically pleasing.

“Hold still,” Optimus said.

He leaned forward and reached over to Dinobot, and, flower in hand, situated the stem between some of the feathers on Dinobot’s head. Dinobot held very, very still.

When Optimus pulled back, he grinned at him. “Is there a purpose to this?” Dinobot snarled, then worried he’d sounded too harsh.

“Not really,” Optimus said, and reached for another flower. Dinobot continued holding still.

He stayed there for more than a few minutes, to his own dismay when he recollected the incident further. Optimus had stuck dozens of flowers amongst his feathers before they really _were_ attacked by Predacons. True to his word, Optimus jumped up and gave Dinobot plenty of time to transform, which brushed most of the flowers off. They made it through the day relatively unscathed and went back to the base with every one of their number.

When Dinobot got back to his room, he found that, against all odds, one lone flower had stayed stuck to his beast mode’s head. It was crumpled and bruised now, and not pleasing to look at. Dinobot picked it off carefully, and set it on his bedside table.

He felt like maybe he understood Optimus’s reluctance to throw away the flowers, now.

 

Optimus died, and then was resurrected. The time between was harrowing, in a way Dinobot hadn’t felt in a very long time.

Nothing felt like it was enough, afterward. What did you say?

“I’m glad you aren’t dead after all?”

“You scared me?”

“Don’t ever put yourself in danger like that again?”

“I wasn’t sure how I was going to live without you,” perhaps.

Dinobot said none of these. He couldn’t. Something would get jumbled between his processor and his vocalizer, and it would come out wrong. No, Dinobot needed actions. Something physical to help him. A token. His apparent propensity for self-sacrifice aside, Optimus Primal was a smart mech. He would understand.

His choice took time. Dinobot remembered reading some about human civilization—they counted a few brilliant strategists among their number, throughout history, and Dinobot was not so against organics to believe Cybertronians had nothing to learn from them. Ultimately, he borrowed their practice of cultivation, long before it had ever been invented.

It was not quick, but it seemed they had time. Optimus had come back different, stronger than ever. And the passage of a season on earth was very little compared to their natural lifespans. Dinobot chose a quiet spot that held no strategic value and thus would, hopefully, be kept out of the line of fire. He slipped away as often as he had time to work. And it was work—he hadn’t been entirely sure it would even work, at first, but as soon as the tiny leaves and stalks broke through the soil, Dinobot did everything in his power to nurture and protect them.

He built structures to shield them from invasive birds. He pulled out competing plants, and set up an irrigation system. A few times, he even probed Rhinox for information, as quietly and discreetly as he could—he had always paid more attention to these sorts of things.

Dinobot did not, historically. Dinobot was a warrior. He was skilled, and he was proud of his skill set. But this… It was different. It felt like he was creating something, here, building it instead of destroying. Even if Optimus didn’t care much for what he had done, Dinobot felt it will have been worth the effort.

And all too soon, the time came to test that theory. The space Dinobot had been cultivating exploded into a prism of colors, nearly overnight.

Dinobot summoned all the nerve he had in his body. “I have something to show you,” he told Optimus.

They walked together side-by-side, at a leisurely pace. “You’re sure there’s nothing wrong?” Optimus asked when they were nearly halfway there. Evidently that was a surprise. Dinobot had to admit he had created something of a reputation for himself. “It has nothing to do with the Predacons?”

“I’m positive,” Dinobot told him again. Optimus seemed relieved at that. He stopped trying to guess their destination.

Dinobot transformed just before they arrived. The area he had chosen was somewhat hidden. He didn’t think any of the other Maximals would stumble across it, but he didn’t want to take any risks. He pulled a bush out of the way and gestured Optimus inside.

He had spent a lot of time working towards this moment, but he found that he didn’t want to study Optimus’s face as he reacted. Instead, he surveyed his own work. He’d set up beds of similar and complementary flowers with a path winding through them, ultimately leading to an open space around a big, sturdy tree. Some of the flowers hadn’t worked out, but most seemed to be flourishing, and insects were hard at work buzzing between the blooms.

“This is beautiful,” Optimus said quietly, finally, after taking a long moment of silence to take it all in. It was as if he didn’t want to disturb the peace by speaking. “I’ve never seen anything like this in the wild. Did you do it?”

“I did,” Dinobot admitted.

Optimus turned to Dinobot and grinned brightly at him. This was—well, it was better than the best earth’s wildlife had to offer, Dinobot thought, and then felt embarrassed at himself for thinking such a thing.

“Why?” Optimus asked.

Dinobot had lost track of the conversation. “Why what?”

“Why did you do it?” he asked, and gestured to the plantlife surrounding them.

Dinobot cleared his vocalizer. “It isn’t important.”

Optimus seemed even more delighted by this, bizarrely. He reached forward and took one of Dinobot’s claws in his hands. He watched Dinobot expectantly.

It was a lot. Dinobot averted his gaze. “I thought you might like it,” he confessed.

“I do,” Optimus told him. Dinobot chanced another glance at him, and— And he was looking at Dinobot with a gaze that was unbelievably fond.

Well.

This was exactly what Dinobot had considered the optimal outcome, and yet now that he was here, he didn’t know how to proceed. It was just as he had feared. “I took seed samples from many different locations. They didn’t all survive, but the ones that did are in the same location now,” Dinobot said, and he knew he should stop talking, and he knew babbling wasn’t like him, and yet. “It’s more convenient for viewing purposes.”

Optimus nodded and set Dinobot’s hand on his own chestplate.

“I… I could collect more varieties for the next season,” Dinobot plowed on. “If you would like.”

Optimus pressed his hand to Dinobot’s helm and rubbed the plating there with his thumb. They were just about the same height, now that Optimus had his new form.

Dinobot could take a hint.

Kissing Optimus was like nothing Dinobot had imagined. He hadn’t allowed himself to imagine it--hadn’t wanted to put a thought like that running through his processor if Optimus ended up not being receptive to his advances. That was not a concern any longer. Optimus was stead, firm and intoxicating, and Dinobot lost himself in the sensation.

They pulled apart eventually. No good thing could last forever, but the smile on Optimus’s face was almost as good. “Thank you for doing this for me,” Optimus said softly, still cradling Dinobot’s helm in his hand.

“It was no hardship,” Dinobot said, and found that it was true.

“Will you tell me how you did it?” Optimus asked. “I want to know everything.”

“It isn’t very exciting,” Dinobot confessed. It had been long hours of repetitive work, which he doubted would make for a very good story.

“Tell me anyway,” Optimus said.

So they walked along the path, hand in hand, and Dinobot told him about how the little garden came to be. He told him where each variety of flower had come from, and the difficulties he’d had getting them to grow. He told Optimus about the rainstorm he had worried would knock the fragile plants down, and how most of them had survived admirably. Dinobot had to revert back to beast mode halfway through, and Optimus kept a hand on his flank.

They ended up at the tree. It was much like the picnic all those months ago, but this time, Optimus tucked Dinobot close to him and wrapped an arm around his neck. He ran his fingers through Dinobot’s feathers in long, continuous motions. They talked quietly, about their friends, about the war, about the past and the future. Optimus grabbed a nearby flower and stuck it to Dinobot’s head, then pressed a kiss next to it.

There was no Predacon attack. Dinobot found that, for once, he had no trouble relaxing.

**Author's Note:**

> i'm 3/3 on doop fics that feature flowers and i plan on keeping that ratio exactly the way it is


End file.
